Work on courthouse annex begins

Tuckpointing work on the Jackson County Courthouse Annex in Independence began Monday, and more improvements are on the way.

“This is the first step ... of renovations ...” County Executive Mike Sanders told county legislators.

Last year the county moved several offices out of that building on Kansas Avenue between Osage and Spring. For example, the office where people go to pay their county taxes has been moved to the Truman Courthouse, which was rededicated last September. Now officials can turn to renovation of the annex to create more space for courtrooms, adding judges and moving more cases from Kansas City to Independence.

Sanders said officials hope to put that work out for bid in May or June and award a contract in July or August. The renovations are expected to take about a year, and Sanders has said officials would like to begin work sometime this year.